THE EUROPEAN STRIKE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 278, 16 April 1913, Page 5

THE EUROPEAN STRIKE

A POLITICAL PROTEST. AX APPEAL TO BRITAIN. AN ORDERLY OUTBREAK. BUSINESS IN CHAOS. By Cable—Press Association —Copyright. Brussels, April 14. The Socialist leaders have resolved that no intoxicants shall be sold -and 110 meetings held. M. Vandewelde, the Socialist leader, in a manifesto, predicts victory. It has been arranged that artists shall give musical matinees daily for tlie strikers' amusement. Very many workers seem to regret the necessity for striking. The Weavers' Union at Verviers asked permission of the Employers' Federation to join in the strike. The Federation replied that it was impossible to give the permission asked for. Maeterlinck has written several letters criticising the Catholic rulers, and offering money to help the strikers. M. : Anatole, the French novelist,* also favors the strikers. Mr. Keir Hardie has Written promising that no British coal will he shipped during the strike. He adds: "The value of a general strike may be disputed on economic grounds, but it has great value from a political standpoint. The proletariat of the whole world'is watching Belgium with interest." A striker at Courcelles shot a Catholic non-strikijig workman. Berlin, April 14. Socialists in Westphalia urge the miners not to work overtime, lest the coal should be sent to Belgium. BRITISH. UNIONS APATHETIC. London, April 14. British trade unions are apathetic j towards the Belgian appeal, because the: strike is a political one. FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND IDLE. , Brussels, April' 14. ! Four hundred thousand have struck, and business is in a chaotic state. The public services are working normally., Troops to the number of 50,000 are under arms. The telegraph wires have been cut in several places. The coal mines have almost completely stopped. THE STRIKE A FIASCO. \ 1 NO PUBLIC INCONVENIENCE. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Received 15, 11.45 p.m. Brussels, April 15. It is estimated that there are two hundred thousand strikers, chiefly from the.factories and mines-at Hainault and N?mur. Few of the transporters are partaking. The newspapers state that' the strike is a fiasco, 1 and is causing little inconvenience. Only 7000 out of 50,000 at Ghent struck, 13,000 out of 49,000 at Brussels, and 78 out of 0500 employed at the Ghent Exhibition. Many miners have been saving, as they do not expect the unions to help tliejii for three weeks.